Over 800,000 people in the UK have dementia and patients live on average for 8-10 years from the first symptoms.  According to one estimate, one in three of us has a family member or close friend who is affected.  Yet, dementia attracts only 1/12th of the research funding devoted to cancer.

That is why the University of Nottingham's dementia research will be the focus of fundraising by Life Cycle 5 in 2015.

Dementia can reduce an independent, healthy individual to one who struggles in most aspects of life and who must rely heavily on the care provided by others.  It may be accompanied by many difficult behavioural and psychological changes which threaten the quality of life for both patient and relatives, including:

• aggression
  
• anxiety
  
• hallucinations
  
• culturally inappropriate behaviours
  

This is why I have decided to take part in the Life Cycle 5 sponsored 50 mile ride on 23 August 2015.

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